Process and conveyor device for feeding sugar cane in a mill train



Feb. 4, 1964 P. R. YET 3,120,173

PROCESS AND CONVEYOR D CE FOR FEEDING SUGAR CANE IN A MILL TRAIN Filed May 3. 1960 ZNVENTOR PEEL RENE PA YET ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,129,173 PROCESS AND CONVEYGR DEVECE FDR FEED- ING SUGAR CANE IN A MHJL TRAIN Peel Ren Payet, Comhuston, Reunion Filed May 3, 1960, Ser. No. 26,497 Claims priority, application France .luly 18, 1959 3 Claims. (6!. 169-76) Various known processes are used in sugar refineries for feeding sugar came to mills or three-roller crusher-s or for conveying this already crushed cane or bagasse from :one mill to the next.

The desire for more and more finely divided bagasse renders these former conveying methods inappropriate.

These methods have all had the following features in common: causing the cane to travel slower in thick layers; driven by mills running very slowly; the cane is moved by means of a support from one mill to the intake of the following one.

These various conveying methods thus have numerous disadvantages, as the thick layer of cane is not suitable for saturating with water or juice, and also, the very low speed imparted, equivalent to a low relative flow, requires heavy and expensive feed lines both for conveying and transmission.

The purpose of the invention is to produce a process enabling sugar cane to be conveyed at the required speed in a mill train.

Another purpose of the invention is to produce a device enabling very high conveying speeds to be obtained and a regular feed to the three-roller crushing mills.

Another purpose of the invention is automatically to rid the sugar cane of the tramp iron that may be found therein.

Other purposes and advantages of the invention will arise out of the description given with reference to the attached drawing.

This drawing shows diagrammatically the conveyance of the cane from a source of supply, and after preparation, to the first mill and the conveyance of this cane between two consecutive mills.

The purpose of the present invention is to impart to the crushed or chopped cane a speed independent from that of the mills, which can be as high as the user requires, by means of a motor independent from the mill, endowed with a given power. This motor drives a rotor which propels the bagasse. To this end, the propelling device consists of a rotor fitted with blades 2, which is located above the layer of cane resting on the conveyor 3.

The cane 4 rises along the conveyor 3 and comes into contact with the rotor 1 provided with blades 2; the latter being driven by a motor 5 rotate at a given speed and the arms or blades 2 project the chopped or shredded cane along an aerial trajectory.

This trajectory is deviated by a deflector 6 which thus brings the bagasse 4 to the intake of the first mill. This mill comprises cast iron rollers 8 through which the bagasse passes and is ground in order to extract the juice.

A feed roller is preferably placed at the intake of the mill, which facilitates the entry of the cane into the mill.

As seen in the drawing, the same device can be adapted between two consecutive mills, for instance, between the mill 7 and the mill 10. After passing through the first mill 7 the cane is directed by the lower scraper 11 on to an inclined plane 12, and the output from the mill thus enables the cane to be pushed on to the top part of the plane 12. A cover sheet 13 is fitted to keep the cane to its path and to avoid excessive thickness.

A similar rotor 1 fitted with blades 2 is located at the top part of the plane 12. It is also driven by a motor 2 independent firom the operation of the mills. The same action is obtained: the cane is thrown into the air by the blades 2 of the rotor l and strikes against the deflector 6. The latter brings the chopped cane or bagasse into the intake of the mill ill where it preferably enters by means of a feed roller 9.

The deflector thus fitted on the aerial trajectory of the cane can be closed by the poles of an electromagnet 14, which has the purpose of arresting the tramp iron which might accidentally be mixed with the sugar cane.

It goes without saying that this magnetic deflector device is useful especially in front of the first mill. The deflector between two consecutive mills may be formed solely by a metal plate.

The angle of this deflector varies according to the path followed by the cane, and for this purpose, is provided with a fiat or curved surface.

This new process, as well as the device for operating it, enables very speeds to be obtained by causing the canle to travel through the air between two successive mil s.

This results in many advantages, among which may be mentioned the eliminating of the mobile support or push plates ordinarily employed as well as doing away with hoppers. Furthermore, the cane passes along in thin layers, which enables:

(a) a more uniform distribution of the saturation Water;

([1) increased intimacy of contact (water and cane) resulting from the impacts to which the cane is subjected by the arms of the rotor, deviation impacts against the deflector and impacts caused by stoppage of movement at the mill intake;

(c) removal of the tramp iron initially carried along by the cane.

Furthermore, the kinetic energy imparted to the cane is converted into vibrational energy and assists stacking.

Actuflly, each piece of cane striking the preceding one at its full speed acts as a rammer. A vibratory action is also produced which assists in piling the cane and prevents it from sticking on the lateral walls, and which, on the contrary, packs the cane against the upper cylinder of the mill.

Obviously, the invention is not restricted to the device described above by way of example. It is quite evident that other alternative embodiments can be devised without going outside of the scope of the invention for that purpose.

For example, the arrangement and shape of the deflector can be varied, according to the space available and the speeds required :for conveying the cane.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus comprising a conveyor having a discharge end and adapted to carry chopped sugar cane in the direction or" said end, a mill including a feed roll and a plurality of roller crushers, said feed roll being tangential to one roller crusher and spaced from the second thereby forming an intake for receiving said chopped cane positioned at a level below said end, means for engaging said chopped sugar cane at said end and projecting it from said end in a first direction wgularly above the direction :of said intake, said means comprising a rotor and blades, and deflection means positioned in the path of said first direction for deflecting said sugar cane in a second substantially downward direction towards said intake whereby said chopped cane is rammed into said intake.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further charaderized by said deflector being a magnet adapted to retain arid thereby separate from the cane metallic scrap mixed with the cane.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 having motor means References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Dube June 25, 1895 Nichols July 21, 1908 Krafft Sept. 21,1920 Maxwell Apr. 5, 1932 Grossenba-cher- Feb. 18, 1936 Grossenbacher Sept. 1, 1936 Bryan Mar. 28, 1939 Stem Jan. 18, 1955 Stem Feb. 12, 1957 

1. APPARATUS COMPRISING A CONVEYOR HAVING A DISCHARGE END AND ADAPTED TO CARRY CHOPPED SUGAR CANE IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID END, A MILL INCLUDING A FEED ROLL AND A PLURALITY OF ROLLER CRUSHER, SAID FEED ROLL BEING TANGENTIAL TO ONE ROLLER CRUSHER AND SPACED FROM THE SECOND THEREBY FORMING AN INTAKE FOR RECEIVING SAID CHOPPED CANE POSITIONED AT A LEVEL BELOW SAID END, MEANS FOR ENGAGING SAID CHOPPED SUGAR CANE AT SAID END AND PROJECTING IT FROM SAID END IN A FIRST DIRECTION ANGULARLY ABOVE THE DIRECTION OF SAID INTAKE, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A ROTOR AND BLADES, AND DEFLECTION MEANS POSITIONED IN THE PATH OF SAID FIRST DIRECTION FOR DEFLECTING SAID SUGAR CANE IN A SECOND SUB- 